Barcelona is said to be one of the European cities with the most markets. Each neighborhood has at least one, and many have up to three or four.
Several have caught the attention of the outside world because of their colorful displays, historic building or modern design: the Boqueria, Santa Caterina and Sant Antoni.
La Boqueria: La Rambla 89; open Mon-Sat 8:00-20:30. Born as a traveling market, over the years, La Boqueria has become the most emblematic of all Barcelona’s markets. The structure, the situation, and atmosphere make it a must-see for many tourists.
Santa Caterina: Francesc Cambó 16; open Mon, Wed and Sat 7:30-15:30 and Tue, Thu and Fri 7:30-20:30. The restaurant Cuines Santa Caterina is part of the market, and open Sun-Thu 9:00-23:00 and Fri-Sat 9:00-11:30. The market was renovated from 1998 to 2005 and now boasts a stunning wave-like colorful roof, which has won it several awards.
Sant Antoni: Comte d'Urgell 1; open Mon-Sat 8:00-20:00. Every day except Friday it closes from 14:30 to 17:30, then reopens until 20:00. On Friday it stays open all day until 20:00. Although the food market is closed on Sunday, that day, Sant Antoni becomes home to a very popular flea market selling a variety of goods including books, comics, stamps and LPs.
If you want to experience an authentic Barcelona neighborhood market, away from crowds of tourists (just featuring crowds of locals doing their shopping) visit the website of the city council for details: mercatsbcn.cat (available in English).